Adopt carbon tax, dividend legislation

July 30, 2013

The proposal for a substantial investment in the Mayfield school district's secure energy future is a welcome development ("Mayfield district considers solar panel project," July 25). Solar panels can bring opportunities for technology education and electricity savings. We want more forward-looking projects such as this one.

One way to encourage more renewable-energy spending is to pass a carbon tax and dividend. Such legislation would be revenue-neutral because it is returned to households.

A conservative can support a carbon-tax bill because it is a revenue-neutral, market-based approach to curbing carbon emissions.

A steadily increasing carbon tax at the mine or port of entry will give the market confidence in the rising price of petroleum to incentivize investors to move toward renewable energy, which has a lower carbon cost than fossil fuels. A border tariff on China and India at the port of entry will have them scrambling to catch up to our carbon policy.